The European Forum is a unique space where the left, greens and progressives can come together and share their struggles. We want to formulate — and fight for — alternative, fairer and greener solutions to the crises facing Europe. This year’s Forum will be held in Athens on 21-23th of October 2022.
The European Forum of Left, Green and Progressive Forces (EuropeanForumLGP) is one of the main political spaces of pluralist exchange for a democratic, social, ecological, feminist and peaceful transformation of Europe. The European Forum is open to all, to build together the necessary common struggles of the European peoples.
The 6th edition of the European Forum is being held at a time when Europe is facing historic challenges for the continent’s peace and collective safety, for its social and ecological future, for the respect of its principles of human rights, hospitality and solidarity.
To respond to these great human challenges, and to deal with threats, building peace and justice is an emergency for the peoples of Europe. Our Forum wants to work on solidarity-based human responses, and on shared action objectives at European level.
We want a new strategic compass for the action of the peoples of Europe that sets the course in all areas for a Europe of human safety for all.
1. For Peace in Europe
Peace is once again seriously threatened by the return of the war unleashed in Ukraine by Vladimir Putin. We want to act to end this war, and to act against all the factors of war: the militarization and the nuclear and conventional over-armament, the violation of international law, the extension of the blocs and military alliances, and the rivalries of domination of the great powers against the sovereign democracy of each people. In Europe, it is urgent to act because the escalation can get out of control. With the European Forum, we want to work towards a new peace project for all Europeans, a new collective security architecture based on disarmament, equality of peoples, respect for human rights and international law for all.
2. For a Just Ecological Transition, and Social Justice for All
These two challenges are inextricably linked. Everything shows it: the pandemic and health insecurity; the soaring cost of living, energy and food prices and the social insecurity that this generates; the ambition of carbon neutrality in 2050 and the immense changes that this implies in work, production and consumption. Everything is connected. The effects of the climate crisis are already visible and we are in the last decades where it is possible to act. We need an ambitious climate action now. Through the European Forum, we want to work on a new social and ecological project for the future of Europe. The success of the ecological transition requires ambitious objectives associated with overcoming social inequalities, promoting public services, employment and a new meaning given to work, the reconstruction of health, food, industrial and energy security, and a truly sovereign democracy of the peoples over their future.
3. For a Global Human Security for All, for the Peoples of Europe
By global security, we mean the security of life and the protection of life in all areas. This is what will build peace, it is to this that we must devote all the means and not to the crazy growth of military spending. What will uproot the causes of the war in the peoples’ spirit is to ensure the respect of social rights, health, energy and food security, the protection of biodiversity, respect for human rights and democracy, the fight against patriarchy, the promotion of women’s rights against all gender-based violence and discrimination, the fight against racism and for the full equality of all humans, respect for each state, its integrity and sovereignty, as opposed to the “double standard” which is the rule of the powerful. Through the European Forum, we want to act for a Europe of peoples and nations living in peace and safety, a hospitable Europe, which acts for a new global development in solidarity.
For more information, click here.
Programme
Friday, 21 Oct
14:30 – 15:00 (CET): Opening of the Forum
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
Speakers:
- Manon Aubry, Co-Chair of the Left in the EP (TBC)
- Conny Hildebrandt, Co-President of transform! europe
- Ernest Urtasun, MEP ICV, Greens/EFA (VIDEO)
- Rania Svigkou, General Secretary of Syriza, Greece
- Socialist Party, France (TBC)
15:00 – 17:00 (CET): Roundtable with social movements: “How to build peace”
(EN, GR)
Speaking and acting for Peace is the most crucial political act – especially in times of War. This roundtable hosts experts and activists from social movements and civil society organisations around Europe to exchange on the importance of peace-building and security concepts beyond militarisation. We will discuss strategies to strengthen our collaborative efforts for a just future in peace, reflecting the title of this year’s European Forum: “For peace, social and climate justice”.
Speakers:
- Niamh Ni Bhriain, TNI – Transnational Institute
- Laeticia Sedou, ENAAT – European Network Against Arms Trade
- Raffaella Bollini, Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana – ARCI
- Heidi Meizolt, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – WILPF
- Saskia Basa, Quaker Foundation (TBC)
- IMI, TBC
Organised by transform! europe
15:00 – 17:00 (CET): Workshop: “Public services in healthcare: towards new social securities”
(EN, FR, GR)
Speakers:
- Alina Tankelium, Health Care Workers Union, Vice-President of EPSU Committee, Lithuania
- Fabien Cohen, PCF, France
- Andreas Xanthos, Former Greek Minister of Health
- Marc Botenga, MEP PTB, The Left in the EP (TBC)
Organised by the EL Public Services WG and EPSU
15:00 – 17:00 (CET): Workshop European Foundations: “Possibilities of a socio-ecological transformation of the energy sector in times of war”
(EN, GR)
Speakers:
- Laurent Standaert, Political Director of the Green European Foundation – GEF
- David Rinaldi, Director of Studies & Policy of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies – FEPS
- Dorothy Guerrero, Global Justice Now
Moderation:
- Conny Hildebrandt, (Co-President of transform! europe)
17:00 – 17:30 (CET): Coffee Break
17:30 – 19:30 (CET): Plenary 1: A new social and ecological compass for Europe
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
This plenary aims to outline a political alternative to the strategic compass proposed by the European Commission in March 2022. In particular, we will have the opportunity to address the need to engage in a just social and ecological bifurcation.
Speakers:
- Claudia Horn, London School of Economics and political science, Belém/Brasil
- Aida Sopi Niang, Deputy Mayor of Dakar
- Pétros Kókkalis, MEP Syriza-PA, The Left in the EP
- Marga Ferré, Co-President of transform! europe
- Lilith Verstrynge, Secretary of State for the 2030 Agenda and Secretary of Organisation of Podemos, Spain
- Tilly Metz, MEP Déi Gréng, Greens/EFA (via Zoom)
- John McDonnell, Labour Party, UK (TBC)
- Sandra Benčić, MP Možemo!, Chairperson of the Environment Committee of Croatian Parliament (TBC)
- Left Alliance, Finland (TBC)
19:30 (CET): Welcome Cocktail
20:00 – 21:30 (CET): POLITICAL CONFERENCE
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
Speakers:
- Alexis Tsipras, President of Syriza-PA, Greece
- Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Spain (VIDEO)
- Aurélie Trouvé, President of NUPES Parliament, France
- Heinz Bierbaum, President of the Party of the European Left
- Stefanos Stefanou, General Secretary of AKEL, Cyprus
- Udo Bullman, MEP SPD, Germany (TBC)
- Sinn Féin, Ireland (TBC)
Under the presidency of Pierre Laurent, Coordinator of the European Forum
Saturday, 22 Oct
09:30 – 11:30 (CET): Trade Unionists Assembly: “Trade Unions’ solutions to the energy crisis”
(EN, GR, ES)
Speakers:
- Cristina Faciaben, International Relations of Comisiones Obreras, Spain
- Nikos Fotopoulos, Member of the Executive Board of the General Confederation of Greek Workers, GSEE
09:30 – 11:30 (CET): Culture Assembly: “Culture, a weapon of mass humanity”
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
Speakers:
- Moni Ovadia, (Actor, musician, singer, theatrical author, Italy (via Zoom)
- Eva Brenner, Experimental theatre worker, author, and producer (via Zoom)
- Jean-Michel Leterrier, (Former responsible for cultural policy of the CGT, France
- Phil Maxwell, Filmmaker, UK (via Zoom)
- Thomas Tsalapatis, Greek artist and author
Moderation:
- Olga Athaniti, Actress and co-coordinator of the EL Culture Network
11:30 – 12:00 (CET): Coffee Break
12:00 – 14:30 (CET): Feminist Assembly: “Women’s rights against right wing, fascism and imperialism”
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
Speakers:
- Toni Morillas, Director of Women Institute, Spain
- Skevi Koukouma, Women’s Pan Cypriot Association
- Jeannette Escanillas, MP Vänsterpartiet, Sweden (via Zoom)
- Gabriela Lopez, Democratic Socialists of America – DSA, USA
- Elisa Giustinianovich, Representative of Coordenadora 8M in Punta Arenas, the Plataforma Feminista Constituyente y Plurinacional and the environmental movement MAT, Chile
- Fotini Kouvela, Former General Secretary for Gender Equality, Greece
Moderation:
- Ada Donno, FDMIN, Italy
- Katerina Papatheodorou, Co-coordinator of the EL Feminism WG
12:00 – 14:00 (CET): Youth Assembly: “The impact of war on youth and their response”
(EN, FR, GR)
12:00 – 14:00 (CET): Workshop: “Right to housing: how to defeat speculation”
(EN, FR, GR)
Speakers:
- Ian Brossat, Vice-mayor of Paris in charge of housing, spokesperson of PCF, France
- Theano Fotiou, Former Alternate Minister of Social Solidarity, Syriza-PA MP responsible for housing policy, Greece
- Eoin Ó Broin, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on housing, Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin Mid-West constituency since the 2016 general election, Ireland (TBC)
Organised by The Left in the EP
14:00 – 16:00 (CET): Lunch
16:00 – 18:00 (CET): Plenary 2: Against the return of war, for peace and disarmament: a new collective security
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
The objective of this plenary will be to outline a new collective safety architecture based on nuclear disarmament, military de-escalation, an end to over-armament, respect for the territorial integrity of nations and the defence of human rights.
Speakers:
- Reiner Braun, Director of the International Peace Bureau – IPB
- Willy Meyer, Conclusions of the peace summit in Madrid
- Neoklís Sylikiótis, Member of the Political Bureau, former Minister, former MEP AKEL, Cyprus
- Hişyar Özsoy, Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Affairs Co-spokesperson of HDP, Turkey
- Danai Koltsida, Head of the European Policy and Foreign Affairs Sector of SYRIZA-PA and Director of the Poulantzas Institute
- Laëtitia Sédou, European Network Against the Arms Trade, ENAAT
- Natalie Bennett, MP Green Party, UK (via Zoom)
- Bjørnar Moxnes, Leader of the Red Party, Norway (via Zoom)
- SIPRI, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (TBC)
18:00 – 18:30 (CET): Coffee Break
18:30 – 20:00 (CET): Workshop: “How the left might address the current energy crisis”
(EN, FR, GR)
Speakers:
- Mathieu Strale, Member of the Study Departement of PTB-PVDA, Belgium
- Boye Ullmann, Secretary of the department in charge of the Trade Union work, Red Party of Norway
- Campaign « Enough is enough » in the United Kingdom (TBC)
Moderation:
- Ulrike Eifler, Die LINKE, Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation Fellow
Organised by the EL Energy Transformation and Industrial Policy WG
18:30 – 20:00 (CET): Workshop: “Energy poverty and food crisis: how to keep track of climate ambitions”
(EN, FR, GR)
Speakers:
- Petros Kokkalis, MEP Syriza-PA, The Left in the EP
- Benoit Biteau, MEP EELV, France
- Rena Dourou, Former Attica governor, member of the Executive board of Syriza-PA and spokesperson on Gender Equality of the Congress of Local and Regional authorities of the Council of Europe, Greece
- Luc Triangle, General Secretary of Industry-All (via Zoom)
- Claudia Horn, London School of Economics and political science, Belém/Brasil
- Marta Messa, General secretary of SlowFood (TBC)
- Sandra Benčić, MP Možemo!, Chairperson of the Environment Committee of Croatian Parliament (TBC)
- Ipes-food (TBC)
Organised by The Left in the EP
18:30 – 20:00 (CET): Workshop: “The Future of Europe: Democratic or dystopian?”
(EN, GR, ES)
Speakers:
- Yiannis Bournous, MP Syriza-PA, Greece (TBC)
- Helmut Scholz, MEP Die Linke, The Left in the EP (TBC)
- Eleonora Evi, MEP Europa Verde, Greens/EFA (TBC)
- Domènec Ruiz Devesa, MEP PSOE, S&D (TBC)
- Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, Former Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Greece (TBC)
Organised by Syriza
20:15 – 23:00 (CET): Concert: Marina Satti
Sunday, 23 Oct
10:00 – 12:00 (CET): Plenary 3: Solidarity as answer to current challenges
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
We want to put at the center of the debate the multidimensional issues of food, respect and preservation of the living, as well as social, energy and migration among others, because the notion of security is not strictly military.
Speakers:
- Esther Lynch, Deputy General Secretary of European Trade Union Confederation – ETUC
- Patrick Le Hyaric, Former MEP presentation of his special issue “War and Hunger”
- Jean-Marie Collin, Expert and co-spokesperson of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), France
- Michael Müller, expert on security and environment, SPD, Germany
- Valérie Masson-Delmotte, IPCC leader (TBC)
- Benoit Biteau, MEP EELV, Greens/EFA (TBC)
- SOS Méditerranée (TBC)
12:00 – 12:30 (CET): Coffee Break
12:30 – 14:00 (CET): Conclusions
(EN, FR, GR, ES)
Final Declaration and action plan / Towards the 7th European Forum
Speakers:
- Jose Luis Centella and a leader from the Greens
- Walter Baier, former President of transform! europe